Our critics pick the best eateries in five essential categoriesBy the editors and Irene Sax

Per Se

Can't get a reservation at Thomas Keller's quasi-mythic French Laundry in the Napa Valley? You might not land one here either, though it's worth all the effort you can muster to try. The space hints at his California roots with a fireplace, though its luxe appointments and Central Park views are strictly big city. A notorious perfectionist, Keller devises pricey, French-influenced meals composed of small portions ($210 for seven or nine courses, gratuity included) that can last up to four hours. Only a chef of this caliber could expect time-stressed New Yorkers to sit still for that long. The surprise is that they seem to be joyfully doing just that.  IS

Courtesy of Jean Georges

Jean Georges

Jean-Georges Vongerichten's signature restaurant remains one of the world's greatest, despite the fact that the jet-setting chef's ever-expanding empire now comprises 16 restaurants across the globe. The nexus of this greatness springs from the master himself, who is often in the kitchen, checking plates as they go out. His army of impeccably trained wait staff flits about, spooning Château Chalon sauce over turbot and rich jus over squab, in the elegant room, resplendent in quiet beiges and whites with floor-to-ceiling windows. The experience is swoon-worthy and you're charged accordingly, though thanks to the gently priced lunch (one of the city's best bargains) and the more casual Nougatine next door, even mere mortals can join the fun.  TS

Courtesy of Le Bernardin

Le Bernardin

How do you stay on top year after year? Ask Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert, a technician with the heart of an artist. Months after Gilbert Le Coze opened this elegant fish restaurant in 1986, it got four stars from the New York Times. After Le Coze died, Ripert took over, and it hasn't missed a step since. If this very grown-up place remains the one to beat despite astronomical prices and what many consider a too-sedate corporate decor, it's because of Ripert's always-evolving menu, which includes such worldly dishes as lobster in lemon-miso broth and masala-spiced crispy black bass. Go for broke with the $180 chef's tasting menu. You won't regret it, plus you can tell yourself that at Alain Ducasse you'd pay more for a meal that is not always as inventive.  IS

by P. Medilek

Daniel

Why go to Daniel? Because you owe it to yourself to experience the real thing at least once. French haute-cuisine restaurants are vanishing from New York, but Daniel remains and flourishes because chef Boulud is almost always in the kitchen, ensuring that the dishes balance classic technique with new culinary influences. What other kitchen wraps shrimp in kadaifa, the Arab shredded wheat? Or puts crispy calf's head "ballotine" on the $96 prix-fixe? If you don't want to commit to a whole meal, you can choose from a shorter, à la carte menu in the lounge, where you'll be as coddled as you would be in the opulent dining room.  IS

Courtesy of Masa

Masa

Masa Takayama closed Ginza Sushiko, his Beverly Hills restaurant, to open this austere space in the Time Warner Center. The tasting menu is the only option and costs $350 even before you take a sip of sake, but for fans that's simply the price of perfection: Masa has been known to jet over to Japan to choose his impeccable fish. The question is: Does he have enough deep-pocketed devotees to fill the restaurant on a regular basis? There are only 10 spots at the 27-foot-long sushi bar  the place to be if you want to see the maestro himself in action  and 16 more at the widely spaced tables, and yet rumors of empty seats have been circulating.  IS

Note: All restaurant information subject to change without notice. Please contact the restaurant for the most current information.